OfferBackedBuyer Tools
Step 1 · Thinking about buying

Where are towns like the one I love?

Enter a town you like, or the one you’re leaving, and find the places most like it: similar incomes, home prices, commute, age of homes and more. Look nearby, in other states or only where homes cost less.

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Towns most like Belford, NJ 07718

Belford: median income $131,531, home value $514,600, $423/sq ft, 36-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Buchanan, NY 10511 89%59$128,218$525,500$414 smaller
Rocky Point, NY 11778 86%71$126,349$456,500$412 cheaper homes ($58K less) · larger · less walkable
Sound Beach, NY 11789 85%69$131,528$428,500$407 cheaper homes ($86K less) · less walkable
Thornwood, NY 10594 84%51$163,542$683,200$506 higher income ($32K more) · pricier homes ($169K more)
North Babylon, NY 11703 81%46$137,158$521,700$424 larger · more apartments and townhomes
Holbrook, MA 02343 80%200$115,032$464,700$406 cheaper homes ($50K less) · larger · less walkable
Massapequa Park, NY 11762 80%38$169,624$641,000$508 higher income ($38K more) · pricier homes ($126K more) · larger
Seaford, NY 11783 80%36$176,993$654,300$527 higher income ($45K more) · pricier homes ($140K more) · larger
West Hempstead, NY 11552 79%30$155,154$638,200$468 pricier homes ($124K more) · larger
Bowie, MD 20715 79%173$143,732$452,600$257 cheaper homes ($62K less) · larger
Springfield, VA 22151 79%200$156,015$655,800$350 pricier homes ($141K more) · larger · 6 min shorter commute
Higganum, CT 06441 78%107$111,250$393,100$268 cheaper homes ($122K less)
White Plains, NY 10607 78%45$168,603$673,200$454 higher income ($37K more) · pricier homes ($159K more) · older residents
Oceanside, NY 11572 78%28$148,790$634,500$487 pricier homes ($120K more) · larger · older residents
Bethpage, NY 11714 78%39$120,172$600,700$496 pricier homes ($86K more) · larger · older residents
Greenlawn, NY 11740 78%49$152,386$693,700$461 pricier homes ($179K more) · larger · older residents
Nesconset, NY 11767 78%58$152,985$637,900$407 pricier homes ($123K more) · larger · less walkable
Cortlandt Manor, NY 10567 77%61$144,194$566,700$352 pricier homes ($52K more) · larger · older residents
Blauvelt, NY 10913 77%45$175,357$640,100$396 higher income ($44K more) · pricier homes ($126K more) · less walkable
Levittown, NY 11756 77%37$146,019$584,300$460 pricier homes ($70K more) · larger
Wantagh, NY 11793 77%36$167,068$659,500$503 higher income ($36K more) · pricier homes ($145K more) · larger
Thiells, NY 10984 76%55$121,250$598,600$374 pricier homes ($84K more) · smaller · less walkable
Babylon, NY 11702 76%44$137,652$626,900$455 pricier homes ($112K more) · larger · older residents
Islandia, NY 11749 76%55$116,313$477,400$366 cheaper homes ($37K less) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Franklin Square, NY 11010 75%29$142,321$665,800$609 pricier homes ($151K more) · larger · more walkable

Similarity compares income, home value, price per sq ft, population, age, commute, education, walkability, owner share, single-family share and age of homes. Click a town to see its housing market. Set your own criteria with the town finder.

Finding towns like the one you love

Maybe you grew up somewhere you loved and want something like it closer to a new job. Maybe the town you want is out of reach and you’re looking for a cheaper version of it. Or you’re moving across the country and want to know which places will feel familiar. This tool starts from a town you know and finds the places most like it.

How we measure similarity

We compare eleven things for every ZIP code: median household income, median home value, price per square foot from recent sales, population, median age, average commute, the share of adults with a bachelor’s degree, walkability, the share of homes that are owner-occupied, the share that are single-family homes, and the median year homes were built. Income and home values count most, because they shape what a place costs and feels like day to day.

Each trait is put on the same scale, so a $50,000 difference in home value and a five-minute difference in commute can be compared fairly. The result is a similarity score: towns in the 90s are close matches on nearly everything, and scores in the 70s are similar with a few clear differences. For each match we list the biggest differences, like cheaper homes, a longer commute or more single-family homes.

Where to look

  • Anywhere shows the closest matches nationwide.
  • Same state or other states keeps the search where you need it.
  • Within a distance finds alternatives near a town you’re priced out of.
  • At least a distance away finds the same kind of place somewhere new.

Tick “only towns where homes cost less” to find more affordable versions of the place you like.

What it can’t tell you

Numbers can’t capture everything that makes a place feel like home: a walkable downtown, the schools, the views or the people. Use the matches as a short list, then visit. Click any town to see its housing market, including how competitive it is and how fast homes are selling.